In the Past
by curlymonic1215
Summary: She never thought she would come face to face with the horrid past she had left behind... Warning: Contains depictions of physical, emotional, and mental abuse... *Now Completed*
1. Chapter 1

Title: In the Past

Summary: She never thought she would come face to face with the horrid past she left behind…

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Greys and Shonda Rhimes

Setting: The 12th season finale and after with one change; Jo never told DeLuca or anybody else about her husband and Alex never beat up DeLuca.

Note: This story will take place during 2 different times; present day and about 5 years earlier.

Chapter One:

April 2009:

The hairs on her neck stood up as she heard the sound of his car pull into the driveway. She stared at the dinner she had spent hours working on, the delicate appetizers he had ordered. She knew tonight was a big night for Paul; his team of doctors were close to getting a big grant that they had been working on. She couldn't screw up the dinner, it would set the mood for the close of the deal they were working on.

Her breathing quickened as she heard the door open and she desperately attempted to control it. She needed to stay in control right now, he would demand it of her. He despised when she was "a pathetic mess" as he called it.

"Brooke!"

His voice was loud….not angry, but loud and demanding….loud enough that she had to force down the anxiety creeping through her, loud enough that he could control her every move with it, loud enough to make her wish she was anywhere but here right now.

She met his gaze as he entered the kitchen, trying to smile, to look like the wife he wanted, the wife he expected. It was the least she could do for him after he worked all day.

He blew past her, not even a hello, no acknowledgement of any kind, and began to inspect her work. She looked away, certain he would find that she had screwed something up. She always missed, forgot, left out, screwed something up. Why would tonight be any different?

Her confidence in the meal that she had worked so hard on today was disappearing with every second he continued to inspect her work. Brooke fixated her gaze on the floor, counting in her head, just trying to focus on her breathing. He was taking too long. Something was wrong. She vaguely wondered what the punishment was for messing up something that was so big for him. She knew it wouldn't be good.

"Where's the seared scallops?"

His voice broke her out of her trance, and she quickly looked up, meeting his eyes. They were the first words he had spoken to her, his voice dripping with anticipation. He knew what a screw up she was. He knew she could never pull something like this off and not have messed it up for him.

"They're on the table. I...I ran out of room on the counter," she whispered, her gaze lifting up just enough to watch his scoff at such a thing.

She closed her eyes once more, her own voice ringing through her ears. Screw up. Trash. Pathetic. Ungrateful bitch.

When she opened her eyes again, he was standing in front of her. She tried to step back, but he was too quick. He grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. "You forgot to put out the olives, you put the scallops on the table, and there are only twelve place settings when I distinctly rember telling you there were thirteen people attending. My god, Brooke, are you trying to make me lose this deal. Are you?!"

She opened her mouth to speak, tears flowing freely down her face, but it was too late. She had messed this up for him and now, now she must be punished.

His fist landed first on her stomach, the force sucking what little breath she had in her out. She felt a kick land on her side as she fell to her knees, her body curling protectively into itself. She whimpered as her punishment continued, trying to endure it, wishing she would just disappear.

She screamed when the first strike of the belt landed on her back, followed closely by a second and a third. "Please, please, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she cried as he grabbed her by the hair, shoving her into the wall.

"When will you ever learn you stupid, worthless, dumpster diver!" he yelled, hauling her to her feet only to punch her again. "These punishments are designed to teach you, Brooke!"

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry!" she cried, a harsh sob escaping her lips when the belt connected with her back again.

She began to rock back and forth on her knees, choking on her own sobs and tears as he continued to berate her for her mistake. Everything just hurt so bad. Why couldn't she follow his simple instructions? Why did she always bring this on herself?

"I'm sorry. I'll do better. I'll fix it!" she pleaded, gasping when he grabbed her by the ear, twisting and pulling painfully as he dragged her to her feet, hauling her towards the back door. "Please, Paul, Please just let me try again," she cried.

Trash. Garbage. Dumpster Diver. Worthless. Pathetic. Ungrateful. She didn't deserve another chance. She deserved to be punished.

Brooke continued to cry as Paul dragged her through the backyard, stopping in front of the small back shed. She couldn't watch as he unlocked it, pushing her into the smallest, darkest corner of it.

She didn't have the strength to fight as he forced her shirt over her head, the cold spring air hitting her broken and bruised body. She cried as he took her pants and undergarments as well, sobbing as he left her completely exposed to the cold, dark shed.

"You don't deserve the roof I've provided for you, or the clothes I so graciously bought for you, you pathetic dumpster diver. Maybe spending a night without those luxeries will teach you to be more grateful for the things I've provided you," he said, leaving her alone in the shed, and it wasn't until she heard the door lock and his footsteps long gone before she broke down completely.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: In the Past

Summary: She never thought she would come face to face with the horrid past she left behind…

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Greys and Shonda Rhimes

Setting: The 12th season finale and after with one change; Jo never told DeLuca or anybody else about her husband and Alex never beat up DeLuca.

Note: This story will take place during 2 different times; present day and about 5 years earlier.

Chapter 2

Present Day:

Someone was touching her. The unexpected sensation was enough to jolt her awake, sending into a fight or flight response as she started shoving at the source of the touching.

"Hey, hey there, calm down. It's only me, muttered the voice, Jo instantly recognizing it as Alex's voice. He wrapped his arms around her as she made eye contact.

She smiled, leaning into his touch as she placed her head on his shoulder. He placed a gentle kiss on her bare shoulder, smiling as she began to playing with his hair.

"What time is it?" she questioned and he shrugged, enjoying his time with her too much to care.

"Early enough. You were passed out when I got home from the wedding last night," he observed and she nodded.

"I may have had a few too many drinks at Joes," she muttered and he laughed, figuring as much. He had seen her clothes scattered around the room when he got back from Owen and Amelia's wedding, which in his experience only meant one thing.

"So, are we going to talk about last night?" she asked, and he sighed, pulling her closer to him.

All he ever wanted was to love her, to make her feel as loved, if not more than, than she deserved. She deserved to be happy, to be loved, and he just wanted to provide that for her.

"I love you, Jo," he said simply. "I love you and I know you love me. I want us...I want you to be happy, because you deserve that. You deserve to be happy and to be loved, Jo."

She gazed up at him, tears in her own eyes as she spoke. Her entire life she had dreamed of a guy like Alex, someone who loved her, someone who cared about her, who respected her… Alex was everything she had ever needed, and she hated that he gave her so much but she couldn't give him the one thing he deserved.

"Alex, I'm happy with us. I love you so much and I...I love coming home to you every night. I love waking up next to you every morning. I want to be with you Alex, not just for now, but forever. I want to start a family with you someday. I want to give you what Owen and Amelia have, what Merideth and Derrick used to have...because you deserve that too. I just...marriage is a commitment that you and I already have. Marriage is really hard for me, Alex. I need you to understand that. I want to be with you forever, Alex, but I really am just scared of marriage and maybe someday that will change, but for now…"

Alex pulled her into a kiss, rolling her over in the bed, relishing in the sound of her laughter. He loved her. He needed her. He knew that they could be together forever, that what they had right now could be enough. He new that marriage was just a piece of paper and hell, how long had Derrick and Merideth been married using nothing more than a stupid post it note.

"I love you, Jo," he whispered, his hand reaching to brush back a strand of her hair.

"I love you too, Alex."


	3. Chapter 3

May 2009:

24-year-old Brooke tried to stay quiet as she prepared for another day, tiptoeing through the bedroom and bathroom as she reached for her clothes, her body protesting in pain. She was certain at least one, possibly more, were broken after the previous week's punishments, but she tried to muster through it. _You are being punished, Brooke. It's not supposed to feel pleasant_ he had stated with each slap of the belt across her chest, her ribs, her belly, as she screamed and pleaded for an end.

Stupid, worthless, undeserving.

Brooke closed her eyes, willing the voices in her head to stop. She knew what she was. She didn't need her subconscious reminding her of it during every waking moment. Her husband made sure she never forgot what she was or where she came from.

The sound of her stomach growling snapped Brooke from the depths of her subconscious, as she tried to shove the feelings of hunger, of pain, of brokenness, away. She tried to focus instead on getting ready for school; her safe place, the only place she had ever felt safe.

"What do you think you're doing?"

The sound of Paul's voice sent her into panic mode. She turned around, her eyes fixated on the ground. She wasn't allowed to look at him when she spoke. It only made him more angry; though she didn't understand why.

"I...I was just finishing getting dressed," she whispered, stealing a glance before continuing, "I...I can start breakfast if...if you're hungry."

The thought of breakfast made her stomach rumble in pain, but she ignored it, as usual. He stepped out of her way, reaching for her arm as she attempted to exit the bathroom she was standing in, lifting the long sleeves to reveal various marks and bruises from a variety of different punishments. His fingers gently touched the large burn just above her wrist, pressing down painfully.

"Tell me, Brooke, what was this punishment for?" he questioned and Brooke blinked back tears. This line of questioning wasn't unusual. He wanted to make sure she remembered her punishments. After all, they were useless if she forgot the reasons she was punished or how she was punished for certain transgressions.

"Because I burned dinner two weeks ago," she whispered, trying and failing at keeping the tears away.

"How else were you punished for this transgression?" he questioned again and Brooke couldn't control the tears anymore.

"I…." she looked up at him, tears in her eyes as she silently pleaded for him not to make her do this. The punishment for this particular transgression was brutal enough; she knew she would never let it happen again.

"Answer me!" he demanded, pushing harder on the burn.

"No, no, no…" she stammered as he released his fingers from the burn, his hands reaching for his belt and Brooke's eyes widened at the thought.

"No food privileges for 2 weeks!" she cried, falling to her knees as she stomach pains grew worse, as the thought of having to endure another round of the belt overwhelmed her completely, her body succumbing to the anxiety as she gasped for air.

"Exactly. Just wanted to...remind you. Wouldn't want you to forget while you were at school today," he stated with a laugh, lifting her up by her hair. "Now, I believe someone has some chores to complete if they want to go to school today," he said, reaching for her ear as he brought her downstairs.

Brooke got out of the car quietly, muttering the required thank you sir before heading into the school where she was a third year medical student. School was her safe place. School was the only place she was allowed to be without him, the only place she could do something right.

Another wave of hunger rolled through her stomach. She paused, leaning against a wall for a moment as it continued. She grimaced at the amount of pain through her body, glancing at a clock on the wall. She had an hour until her first class; Paul had to be to work earlier than usual today. She tried to remember the last time she had been to the infirmary, wondering if it was too soon to go back. She went there often; usually just to rest when the punishments began adding up; or on the days when she hadn't slept well the night before for a great deal of reasons.

She decided to do it, the hunger pains refusing the subside, the pain in her ribs nearly doubling her over with every step she took. She needed to feel this. She needed to be reminded. She needed….tears began to form in her eyes. She just wanted it all to stop. She just wanted to be a better person, a better wife. He had rescued her. He had taken her from being homeless to a good home, married her, gave her everything she ever dreamed of….and she couldn't even do the things he wanted of her to make him happy.

"Brooke?"

The voice of the nurse snapped her out of her thoughts, and she quickly pulled herself together. "I have an hour before class and I just...I'm not feeling well. Could I please lay down?" she asked, hating feeling so pitiful, but feeling like she had no other choice. She felt like a child trying to get out of class in high-school, and she hated that the nurse took so much pity on her at all, but she was used to pity and begging and after all; that was what she was; a pitiful dumpster diver who thrived on others throwing her a bone.

The nurse frowned, eyeing the young girl in front of her. Brooke was a frequent flyer as she called it into the infirmary. She came in always just wanting to lie down, always looking so worn down, so beaten down. She chalked it up to being a medical student at a top school. She had checked her records; Brooke was at the top of her class. There was just something...off about her though, something she wished she could find, but whatever it was was very rarely physical. There had been several instances where she had been indeed, sick. Most students just went home, but Brooke would never even think of it. "I live too far. My car broke down. I have too much to do here…. There was always an excuse and though she didn't know the truth, for some reason she felt inclined to help the sweet girl who often came just looking for a little help.

"Sure, sweetie," smiled the nurse, nodding towards the free bed. She watched as Brooke walked, noticing the way her arm was banded around her stomach. Could she really be sick this time?

The nurse grabbed a blanket and a pillow, offering them to Brooke as she offered a smile and a thank you, graciously taking them both and placing them on the bed. The small whimper didn't escape the nurse as Brooke lied down, and the nurse's frown deepened as continued to study the women quickly falling asleep. "Are you hurt?" she asked, her eyes gazing at the arm now clutching her stomach. Brooke shook her head.

"No. Just a stomach bug, I think," she muttered and the nurse nodded, waiting until she was certain Brooke had fallen asleep, the steady rise and fall of her stomach a clear indication, before pulling a chair and sitting beside her. She was a nurse caring for a med student who should probably be able to care for herself, but that nagging feeling that there was more than met the eye just wouldn't leave…..


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Thank you to all who have been reading and enjoying this story. I'm so glad to be able to tell it! Keep reading, it will only get better as the story continues to progress!

Chapter 4: Present Day

Happiness was something she had dreamed of as a child. She would spend her holidays closing her eyes and dreaming of what life would be like outside of foster care. She had dreamed of a couple adopting her, of spending Christmas under a Christmas tree playing with toys or watching cheesy Christmas movies. As she got older and the possiblity of becoming adopted slowly disappeared, Jo had dreamed of getting married, of having kids of her own, and making all those dreams she had never gotten come true for her own kids.

Life doesn't always work out the way we intend them to, though.

Jo had hit snags in that plan more times than she could count, and there were times when she truly believed she didn't deserve that happily ever after fairytale dream she had always wanted….until Alex came along.

They had been through so much together. Love….true love, safe love, happy love, had been something unattainable for so long. She knew the truth about why she couldn't marry Alex; the horrible, terrible truth that she couldn't tell him, or anybody else for that matter, about. That didn't matter though. Alex was still there. He still loved her. He didn't want to push her. He _respected_ her both as a person as well as his girlfriend. _As long as we're together, Jo, nothing else has to matter. As long as we promise to love each other, we don't need a wedding. We just need each other._

The words he had whispered to her that morning had made Jo love him even more, if that was possible. He loved her. He respected her. He wanted to be with her, regardless of whether she committed to marriage or not.

He was her fairytale ending. He was her dream.

And Jo was beyond excited for that reality.

Jo couldn't help the smile on her face as she got ready for another days work, her brown eyes glowing with energy and happiness.

Jo sizzled up to Alex's side as they waited in the hallway for yet another one of Bailey's speeches, giggling as he wrapped his arms around her waist, sneaking a kiss on her lips before looking back up at the steps.

"Ladies and gentleman, Grey-Sloan is entering a new era of medicine. We have the best and the brightest among all of you, and my job is to ensure that you have access to everything that you need to continue to allow your knowledge to grow, in order to ensure that we have everything and everyone at our fingertips to help us obtain the knowledge we may need to one day solve those crazy medical problems we all dream of solving," began Bailey and Jo sighed, wondering how long it would be before she could begin rounds. She was on Amelia's service today, and though Neuro wasn't her favorite speciality, she was eager to begin.

"Which is why," continued Bailey, "I am excited to announce a special new member to the Grey-Sloan team."

Jo, as well as the other doctors, looked around, surprised by the sudden announcement. Was there a new surgeon on the team? What position needed to be filled?

"So if everybody would please welcome our new research specialist and consultant, Dr. Paul Stadler!"


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: Before proceeding with this chapter, please be aware that it describes instances of sexual assault. Please do not read if this upsets you or triggers something for you in any way. In terms of the abuse portrayed in this story, this will be the only chapter that describes abuse of this nature.

Chapter 5:

June 2009

"Please, please, Paul, please let me eat something!" she had begged when he brought her home from school, knowing as she did it that begging for the end of a punishment was strictly prohibited, but she couldn't help it. She had learned her lesson. She had learned it, she swore to him, and she promised that she would be a better cook, that she would never burn anything again. "Please, it hurts so bad," she had cried, fully understanding that she was simply asking to be punished when they arrived home for all this pleading she was doing.

He stopped the car in the driveway, not even looking Brooke's way. She was in trouble. She knew she was. She had broken every rule in the book at this point; begging for the end, crying that she was hurt….a punishment was imminent, but she didn't care. She would have been punished anyway; if not for this, then for something else. At least this way, she could tell herself that she had been punished for trying to stand up for herself. It was the only way she could, even if it was the stupidest thought she had ever had. There was no reason to stand up for herself. She had burned the food. She had needed to be punished for that. The pains in her stomach hurt because it was a punishment. It was not supposed to be pleasant.

Paul stepped out of the car first before walking over to her side and opening the door, yanking her out the door by her ear. Brooke fell helplessly to the ground, crying into the dirt. She was pathetic. She was weak. She was nothing.

Begging only brought more punishment, not privileges. Eating was a privilege, one she may never earn back at the rate she was breaking rules.

Brooke sobbed as he dragged her through the grass and onto the sidewalk, her body scraping painfully across. She tried to lift herself up, but failed, and she groaned as she was forced to endure being dragged up the steps and into the house like she was nothing more than a piece of property being dragged in from the car. She was pretty certain he tcared more for the things in the house than he did her, though.

"Please, please just let me eat something, anything. Please!" she sobbed as he allowed her to stand up. "Please," she whimpered, breaking down once more.

She continued to cry as he lead her into the kitchen, forcing her into a corner before reaching for the phone. She curled into herself, sobbing into her knees as he spoke quietly to whoever was on the other end.

She could hear the end of his phone call, unaware when he had walked back over to her. "Stand up," he demanded, and Brooke immediately obeyed, refusing to look at him.

"Take off your clothes," he demanded next and a small sob escaped her lips as she did as he asked, small whimpers replacing her sobs as she removed her bra and underwear.

"What do you need to say for yourself, Brooke? You cried and whined the whole way home from school; a school might I add that I got you into, a school that I allow you to attend, a school you wouldn't have been able to excel at if you were still living in your car like you were when I came along," he began and Brooke said nothing, knowing there was nothing more she could say or do at this point.

"How should I punish you for this?" he questioned, Brooke allowing the tears to slip from the eyes, falling down her already tear-stained face. She was worthless. She was nothing. She had no right to be anything but grateful for all he did for her.

The sound of the doorbell ringing snapped both Jo and Paul from their current spat, and Jo looked up, mortified at the sound of the door opening. Paul never let anybody in on their secrets. Nobody knew about these punishments. Nobody that she knew of, anyways….

"Don't cover yourself!" demanded Paul as she began to cross her arms over her chest, another sob escaping her lips as the sound of footsteps came closer and closer to the kitchen. Brooke lowered her gaze, humiliated at the thought of somebody seeing her this way.

"Is this her?" asked the voice, and she could hear Paul mutter an affirmation, the person, a male, stepping closer to her, Brooke shaking wildly.

"Have you punished her yet?" questioned the man and she could hear laughter escaping Paul's lips. "Not yet."

"No need to keep her waiting. She knows what she did wrong," explained the man, lifting Brooke's chin to meet his gaze. "You are quite the troublemaker from what I hear."

Brooke whimpered as Paul grabbed her by the arm, pulling her over to a chair, hauling her unclothed body over his lap, her upper body hanging mercilessly over the chair, her lower body on his lap. She could feel her breathing quicken as she realized what he was about to do, the humiliating punishment he was about to force upon her, only made more humiliating by the fact that this other man she had never met before would apparently be watching.

"Can you grab my belt for me?" questioned Paul and she could hear laughter in response to the question. "A belt? My god, no wonder she hasn't learned yet!" exclaimed the man. "Never use a belt….it's completely overrated," he explained, offering Paul something Brooke couldn't see from her current position.

Whatever it was elicited an unfiltered scream from her lips as it suddenly connected with her backside, followed closely by several others. Brooke screamed in agony as the spanking instrument worked its way across every area of her buttocks, the pain searing through her whole body. "I'm sorry!" whaled Brooke as the beating continued, the implement now digging into raw skin.

A flood of relief entered Brooke when the spanking seemed to cease, her buttocks feeling as if it was on fire from the nearly 65 strokes of whatever Paul had used on her. She continued to cry as Paul lifted her from his lap, groaning when she was taken from Paul by the other man.

"Maybe you can knock some sense into her," remarked Paul, Brooke fearful of what was happening. She whimpered as this stranger began dragging her away from the kitchen, sobbing as he led her upstairs.

"Wh...wh...who are you?" asked Brooke, crying out as her question was greeted with a swift slap across her face, blood trickling into her mouth.

"So, you decided to beg for your supper, I hear?" he asked, shoving Brooke onto the bed. Her eyes wide, fearful of this man's intentions, she began to try and back away, crying out when he lashed out at her, Brooke realizing it was a leather whip that she had been spanked with when it lashed across her chest.

"No, please, please don't do this," she whispered, trying to roll away as he leaned over her, malice in his eyes.

"Just be a good little girl, and this punishment will be over before you know it," he remarked and Brooke swallowed hard, squeezing her eyes shut as he pulled back his fist, groaning as he punched her in the stomach before rolling her over onto her back, another strike of the whip against her back.

"You want something to satisfy you? You want something to eat?" he asked and Brooke shook her head, pain rolling through her body; thoughts of hunger having completely disappeared. How horribly wrong had she been when she had decided to beg to eat?

"Please, please don't do this," she whimpered, crying when his hand began rubbing over her beaten buttocks. She heard the sound of a door opening, Brooke's stomach twisting into knots as she vaguely heard a conversation going on above her. She cried out when she was suddenly rolled over again, Paul standing over her this time; whip in hand. She choked out more screams as her chest was struck several more times, her body starting to go numb. He rolled her over again, adding a few more strikes to her buttocks.

"After we're through with you, Brooke, you'll never beg for anything again," laughed Paul, the young woman beginning to lose consciousness. Her eyes opened once more as ice water was thrown on her, her body beginning to go into what she could only guess was shock. She had begged, and now...now she wasn't sure what he was doing to her, but it wasn't good. It was bad, she knew that. It was bad. She was bad. She deserved this. She didn't get to go to sleep. She needed to be punished. She need to feel this.

Her tears had stopped, her body no longer her own as she felt them turn her back over onto her stomach. Brooke moaned weakly as she heard the men say something about putting something inside her, her mind fearing the worst.

Within seconds she could feel her butt cheeks being spread, the feel of something grazing over her skin. She was being violated in every sense of the word, and there was nothing she could do about it.

That was the last thought that entered her mind before she felt something being shoved inside her, a violent scream escaping her lips, her body flailing as whatever it was that had been forced into her sent a burning sensations unlike anything else she had ever felt throughout her.

Her body continued to flail, the men roaring with laughter as they watched her helplessly shake and scream, every inch of her burning from the inside out. Something was in. Something was put in her.

Oh god, she thought. All she had wanted was to eat, and instead….instead she was being violently violated and, if she was lucky at this point, hopefully she would die.


	6. Chapter 6

**Note: Another update for the day, because I am really enjoying this story and I hope you're all enjoying reading it :)**

She was going to be sick

As the man Bailey had just introduced to the crowd of doctors introduced him, Jo could feel herself slowly sinking into the crowd, away from Alex, away from her friends, just away from….

Oh god, she was going to be sick. She turned around, wanting to do nothing more than run. She ducked her head, praying nobody saw the look of panic on her face as she began making her way away from the crowd, away from the news, away from _him._

He knew. He must know. He must have found her. This couldn't be a coincidence, and, oh god how she just needed to get away. She found herself shoving open the bathroom door, racing for the nearest stall before falling to her knees, emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet bowl. Tears poured from her eyes. How could this be happening? How had he found her? How….

Another wave of nausea coursed through her, the young brown haired woman crying as she continued to throw up. It wouldn't stop. Her body began shaking uncontrollably, her stomach recoiling in pain as she continued to be sick.

"Jo?"

The voice was unrecognizable, her mind racing with it all, with the vision of him standing there, the idea that he had….that he…. That….

"Jo?"

Someone was calling to her, but she couldn't, everything hurt. She couldn't lift her head, she couldn't speak, she felt numb, paralyzed, even….

Her body tightened at the feel of someone touching her, and she let out a small scream, shrinking away from the touch. "Jo, honey, what's wrong?"

Arizona. It was Arizona. Oh god, she must have seen her come in. Arizona was one of Alex's closest friends outside of Merideth. They had been on Peds together, they worked together all the time...

Jo threw up again, not having the strength to even lift herself from the toilet seat. She moaned in misery as her boyfriend's friend gently held her hair, rubbing her back in a soothing manner.

"Let me go get Alex, okay sweetie?" asked Arizona and Jo shook her head, feeling completely miserable. Alex would take care of her. Alex would want to know what was wrong, why she was crying, why….

Jo burst into tears, crying into the toilet bowl as she realized that just moments ago she had finally found her happy ending, her fairy tale, and now….now he had found her and everything she had once ran from and…

"Oh sweetie," she could hear the concern dripping from Arizona's soft voice as Jo continued to dry heave into the toilet. The sound of someone else entering the bathroom escaped Jo, whose stomach was now screaming in agony. She felt Arizona leave her side slightly, talking to whoever it was had stepped in to witness this low point in Jo's life.

"Jo?"

Alex. It was Alex. He was in the bathroom. He was here. He didn't know about her past. He didn't know the truth. She had never told him. She had lied to him, basically. They were finally happy and now, now….

"Okay, okay," she heard him mutter, rubbing her back as the dry heaving continued. He gently pulled her away from the toilet, Jo fighting with him slightly, but everything just hurt so bad. Tears poured down her face, abject misery coursing through her as he pulled her against him. She protested, weakly, groaning as she tried to stand up. She stopped as her body fought against her, causing her to fall, Alex easing her back into his arms.

"Not so fast. Not until you tell me what's going on," he stated, sighing as she buried her face into his chest, hating herself for being so weak, so, so, _pathetic._

The thought of those words made her burst into tears again, harsh, sad sobs racking her tiny frame. Alex shared a glance with Arizona; both confused as to what could possibly be going on.

"Jo, talk to me. Talk to us. Tell us what's bothering you," stated Alex, rocking the now sobbing girl in his arms.

"I can't. I can't…..you...he….I don't understand how this happened. I don't know how he….

"How who? Jo, who are you talking about? What is going on?" questioned Arizona, tilting her head as Jo buried herself further into Alex's arms.

She was safe; here with Alex, in his arms, she was safe. He was safe. Nobody would hurt her here. Nobody could do the things he had done to her here. But _he_ was out there, outside of the bathroom walls where she was safe in Alex's arms, and he was not safe. He would hurt her. He had hurt her so, so bad for so, so long….

"Alex, I can't stay here. Please, please, Alex, I need to go home. Please, don't make me stay here!" she cried, the words sounding so familiar and yet so foreign. " _Please Paul, please, please don't make me…."_

The memory only caused her to cry once more, pushing herself away from Alex as she curled into her own body, rocking back and forth. He had found... He had found her and he was going to make her pay for running away.

Alex shared another glance with Arizona, deeply concerned for his girlfriend who was falling to pieces right in front of him and he had no idea as to why.

"I'll tell Bailey she was sick," said Arizona and Alex nodded. It wasn't entirely a lie. Jo had just spent the better part of the last 20 minutes throwing up, though Alex hardly believed she was "sick."

"Okay, thanks," he responded, gently rubbing Jo's back as she continued to sob. "Okay honey, I'll take you home," he whispered, praying beyond anything that maybe then she would talk to him.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: 2009

"Here."

Brooke looked up from the dishes she had been doing, her eyes widening at the sight of the 2 slices of pizza Paul had just placed in front of her.

"I thought…." her voice drifted off, fearful to question it. Technically, she still had one day left before the punishment was over. Yet, here he was, offering her this food.

"Just eat it, okay?" he said, his voice leaving no room for argument and Brooke nodded, slowly taking the plate and heading towards the table, surprised to find that he too had a plate of pizza in front of him. He never allowed her to eat with him anymore. She always had to serve him first, and then eat once he had finished.

"What? We can't enjoy a meal together once in awhile? For Christ sakes Brooke, we're married. We should be able to at least eat dinner together sometimes," said Paul and Brooke nodded, slowly taking a bite, her mouth watering, her stomach rejoicing at the feel of food in her stomach.

They ate in silence, mostly; Brooke just savoring the fact that her punishment was over, that Paul was allowing her to eat with him, and that for the first time in almost a year, they looked like a normal couple.

It had been almost three days since that horrible night with Paul and his friend, who Brooke had never gotten a name for; three nights since the man who once claimed to love her took the only remaining thing she had valued about herself from her while allowing some stranger the chance to enjoy the show. For hours they had laughed at her while she lost all control of her body, laughed as she screamed in agony, laughed as she flailed helplessly on that bed, going so far as to force her to watch as they showed her the peeled ginger root they were putting inside her; first her butt and then, her vagina.

Since that night though, there had been no more punishments. Once the two men had deemed the punishment over, Paul's friend left and he went to bed. When they had woken up the next morning, he simply allowed her to go to school.

And now, now he was allowing her to eat a day earlier and even allowing her pizza; a meal he knew she loved, a meal that when they had first gotten married, he would spoil her with all the time.

"Would you like another slice?"

Paul's words interrupted Brooke's thoughts, and for the first time she realized that she had indeed finished both slices.

"I...sure…" she said, as he reached over to the box and offered her another slice. She managed a small smile at the kind gesture, a gesture she greatly missed in him.

"So, I don't have to work tomorrow and so I was thinking maybe you and I could do something tomorrow," stated Paul and Brooke paused, now completely certain something was going on here. Had he really just asked if she wanted to do something with him?

"I don't know what, but maybe like dinner and a movie or something. It's been awhile since we went out."

Brooke nodded, managing another smile. "Yeah, I...I would love that," she said quietly, and he nodded.

Brooke sighed, not sure really what was going on. This was not the man who had done what he had done to her three days ago. This was not the man who punished her for her mistakes. This was not the man she had grown to fear.

This was her husband. This was the man she had fallen in love with two years prior. This was Paul.

And in that moment, Brooke smiled. Maybe, just maybe, it was all over. Maybe, just maybe, her husband, the man who had once held her while she cried, told her how much he loved her, was back.

She truly wanted to believe that.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Present Time

Both Alex and Jo had managed to make it out of the hospital fairly easily, Bailey letting them both go after a little pushing from Arizona. Alex made a mental note to make it up to her at some point, but for now his focus was solely on the upset woman sitting beside him.

He stole glances at her as he drove; her knees still drawn to her chest, head bent, hair falling over her face. It was as if she was trying to disappear, and for the life of him, Alex could not understand what had happened between the time she had been smiling and laughing with him in the hallway to brokenly sobbing in the bathroom.

She didn't say anything, she wouldn't even look at him. Instead she flinched every time he even tried to touch her. Even now, in the car, he could hear the occasional sniffle letting him know that she was indeed, still crying.

He just didn't know, or even understand, why.

He quickly put the car in park as he pulled into the driveway, stalling on the actual getting out part. Jo, for the most part, didn't seem to even notice the car had stopped at all.

"Jo, honey, we're home," whispered Alex, not wanting to startle her. He sighed, worried when she still did not respond. He slowly put his arm on her shoulder, trying not to take it personally when she flinched away from the touch.

"Hey, Jo, come on sweetie, just look at me. Just look up at me," whispered Alex, unsure of how else to coax her out of her trance.

His heart nearly shattered when she finally looked up at him; her eyes hollowed out from the tears she had been crying, her makeup running lines down her face, her eyes red and puffy. "Jo…." breathed Alex, reaching out to touch her face, thankful when she let him do so.

"I…."

Her voice broke, a fresh batch of tears pooling into her eyes before she even said anything, and Alex sighed, unbuckling himself and quickly getting out of the car, racing to her side before opening up the door, kneeling down in front of her.

"What is it, Jo? What happened? You can tell me. You can always tell me," he whispered and she nodded, closing her eyes as she tried to find the words she desperately wanted to say; the words she needed to say.

"I….I'm…." she inhaled deeply, swallowing air as she tried to keep speaking. He needed to know. He deserved to know.

"I'm married," she breathed, the tears that had been pooling in her eyes now spilling over, her body beginning to shake as she thought about the man she had seen standing in her hospital just hours earlier.

"That….that man that Bailey introduced earlier….I…..he's my husband. We met a long time ago, before I knew you, before I'd lived here, and he….he used to hurt me, Alex. He would hit me, punish me, every time I screwed up and I just…..I ran away from him and I couldn't divorce him because I….I didn't want him to find me and now….."

Jo finally broke down, harsh sobs racking her body as she was forced to think about her past. She wrapped her arms around her legs, her hair falling once more….

Alex didn't have time to react, to process the words she was saying. She was married. They had been together for five years and now…all those fights about marriage, all those times he couldn't understand why she wouldn't marry him and now….now it all made sense, and yet, here she was, crying helplessly over the fact that she had just come face to face with what Alex could only imagine had been her worst fear for so many years. He didn't understand why she had kept such a secret from him, why she hadn't been able to tell him this for so many years, but he couldn't be angry at her; not now, not when she was falling apart like this.

Alex pulled Jo into his arms, slowly easing her out of the car. He wrapped his arms around her, walking her into the house and settling her onto the bed. He was reminded of that night so long ago when she had come to him crying all those years ago….back when it had been Jason who hit her.

"You're married," stated Alex and Jo nodded, soft sniffles still escaping her lips, tears still in her eyes.

"Alex, I'm….I'm sorry….for not…."

Alex quieted her, placing a finger on her lips, kneeling down in front of her. "I know. We can talk about that later. Right now, I just want to take care of you. Please, just let me take care of you?' he asked, and she blinked, shocked by his response to her confession. "I don't…"

"Jo."

She nodded, slowly, as he gently eased her into the bed, pulling the covers over her thin frame. He offered her a small, gentle smile, as he used his hand to stroke back her hair from her face. "Just try to get some sleep, okay? We can talk about this later."

"Okay," she whispered, curling up onto her side, a few tears still slipping from her eyes. Alex lied down next to her, continuing to stroke her hair, her back, rubbing small circles on her back as her eyes began to drift to sleep.

All he ever wanted to do was protect her. But how could he protect her from this? What, exactly, was this?


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: 2009

She should have known.

She she should have known, she thought to herself as he angrily grabbed her by the wrist, that he would never change. She should have realized that her days of being beaten and punished hadn't simply ended after what she had classified as the worst punishment of them all that night four days ago when he last punished her.

She should have known. But then he was nice to her. He let her eat a day early. He took her out to dinner. They talked and laughed and she smiled and for the first time in a year, she thought she had her husband back. She thought that he was back and maybe he had changed.

But change doesn't happen that quickly, especially not for a man like Paul.

What did she know though? She was nothing more than a piece of garbage Paul had picked up off the side of the road all those years ago. She was worthless. She was nothing. She deserved to be punished, to be hit, to be taught every lesson in the book over and over again.

She deserved it all, but she didn't want to die.

She deserved to be beaten, to be taught the lessons Paul tried so hard to teach her, but she didn't want to die trying to learn them. She didn't have anything, but that didn't mean that someday she couldn't have something. She was going to be a doctor. She wanted to have kids someday. She wanted to be happy someday, and as much as she was certain she deserved the pain and misery that seemed to accompany being with Paul, it wouldn't lead her to the life she had always dreamed of having, and she may not deserve that life, but she wasn't going to die and never even try to have it.

So she needed to come up with a plan.

She needed to find a way to tell Paul she didn't want this anymore, to leave him, to start over again. Of course, telling him would probably lead to something very, very bad and so she couldn't tell him. She had to just do it. She had to just leave. She had to just...figure it out and...and….

Just leave.

"Brooke!"

He was home. Brooke looked up from her spot on the couch, her heart beginning to race. That was his angry voice.

"I….I'm in the living room," she called, trying to remember to breathe as he entered the living room, standing not even a foot away from her.

"What the hell is this?" he demanded, shoving a piece of paper at her. She blinked, reaching out to take it from him, but he shoved her hand away, shoving her to the ground.

"I'll tell you what it is. It's a piece of paper from your school's counseling office. The damn counseling office, Brooke!" he yelled and Brooke frowned, not sure what he was talking about. Why would the counseling office write to her….

"Apparently you have shown some "concerning behaviors" which have given them reason to want to talk to you," he said, reading the letter. "What have you been doing?" he demanded, stepping closer to you. Brooke shook her head, beginning to shake.

"I...I don't….I didn't do anything," she whispered, shrinking away as he knelt down next to her.

"That's a bunch of crap, Brooke!" he yelled, his fist slamming into the side of her face. "What did you do!" he yelled, his foot connecting with her stomach, Brooke doubling over, trying to grasp for air.

"Please, please," she begged, closing her eyes as he grabbed her by the hair, throwing her into the wall. Brooke whimpered in pain, moaning as Paul grabbed her once more, throwing her into the wall once more, her head slamming into the wall.

Her body limp, she felt only a slight sting when the first strike of the leather strap hit her back, followed closely by a second one. Brooke cried out, pleading for an end as the strap cruised effortlessly over her body.

She didn't want to die. She didn't want to die. She hadn't done anything! She didn't want to die!

She tried to get up, her body shaking in pain. Tears fell freely down her face as she managed to make it to her knees, only to have Paul reach for her by her throat, tightening his grip around her neck….

She tried to fight for air, trying to reach for his hands, her eyes wide as he continued to grip her neck...

"When will you ever learn, Brooke!" he hollered, his hands wrapped around her neck, choking her. She could feel her eyes closing, her body limp and weak. She was struggling to fight, to stay awake…..everything just hurt so, so bad…..

As her eyes began to close, feeling Paul begin to work on her clothes, all Brooke could think about was death…..and how she didn't want to die.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Present Day

 _His hands were all over her; punching her, slapping her, grabbing at her….she could see him reach for the belt, raising it over his head….her eyes widened as she watched it inch closer and closer to her…_

Jo shot up from the bed, barely able to breathe as she clutched at the blankets whimpering against the memories in her dreams. She closed her eyes again and this time she saw him standing on the stairwell of the hospital she had called home for the last five years…..he had found her. After five years of running, he had found her….. She didn't understand how he had….

Jo felt the tears stinging at the corners of her eyes as it all came rushing back to her; the punishments, the beatings, the belt….

She clutched further at the blanket, drawing her knees up to her chest as she felt the harsh sobs escape her lips. Within seconds Alex was there, Jo wasn't sure where he had come from, his arms wrapping around her.

"Hey now, it's okay," he whispered, pulling her into his arms. "Shh, it's okay, baby girl. I'm here. It was just a dream," he whispered, rocking her in his arms.

Jo looked up at him, managing the tiniest of smiles for her boyfriend through her tears. He was being so loving, so supportive and attentive to her, and he didn't even know what she was crying about, not really anyways.

Alex smiled back, using his thumb to brush away the last few remaining tears from her eyes. "You want to talk?" he asked and Jo nodded slowly, curling into Alex's arms. He held her tightly against him, stroking her hair.

"His name is Paul Stadler," she whispered, not really looking at Alex as she played with the hems of the blanket she was still holding. "We got married when I was 21, shortly after I finished my bachelor's degree," she began and she could feel Alex placing a kiss to her shoulder.

"At the time, I was still living in my car. I was in college and working on campus but I couldn't afford campus housing and my scholarships didn't cover housing so I just…we met on campus, and we started dating and he was so nice, Alex. He was kind and attentive and I thought I loved him, you know? When he found out about my car, he immediately brought me back to his place and he proposed the following week and we were married within 3 months. It all just happened so fast…."

"When did it start?" asked Alex, and Jo sighed, closing her eyes as she thought about the first time he hit her. "About a year after we were married," she whispered.

"When he first hit me, he apologized. He said he was angry and I just...I believed him. It sounds stupid, I know, but I did, and then it happened again and again and eventually….he just stopped apologizing," she said, shuddering at the thought of all the punishments she had endured for nearly two years.

She stopped talking, her fingers playing endlessly with the hem of the blanket, as she thought about what her life had been like then. She could feel Alex placing gentle kisses on her shoulders as she spoke, but she wasn't paying much attention at this point. She took a shaky breath, trying to make sure she was in control before speaking again.

"I hated myself, back then, Alex. I thought he was right. He told me over and over again that I was garbage, that I was trash, and I just….I thought I was. I thought I deserved it every time he hit me, every time he punished me, every time he struck me with his belt or a strap….." her voice drifted off as the tears started pouring out faster and faster. She could feel Alex's grip tighten around her waist, his voice soft and soothing when he spoke into her ear.

"You are none of that, Jo. You are not garbage, do you hear me?" he whispered, turning so she was facing him and she nodded, snuggling up to his chest. "I know that now," she whispered. "But for so long, I didn't and that just made it….easier to let him hurt me."

"When did you leave him?" he asked and Jo swallowed hard, tears burning her eyes as she thought about the events of that week and that night and everything that had happened to her.

"After he almost killed me."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: 2009

Everything hurt.

Brooke let out a small moan of pain as she awoke, curling herself into a ball in hopes that it would ease the pain just a small bit.

No such luck though.

It wasn't until a sweeping cold chill rushed through her injured body that she realized she wasn't even in the house, and tears sprung to her eyes when she realized where she was instead; the shed….without clothes….again.

She tried to get to her knees, but cried out in pain as she did so. Every inch of her seemed to be protesting to movement. She squinted in the darkness, trying to get a good look at her stomach. She could see the swelling along her midline, letting her know that her ribs were at least cracked, if not broken. There were welts along her chest and her legs and she wondered how long he had beaten her with the strap after she passed out.

Brooke let out a weak whimper, trying to sit up once more. She cried out in pain, trying desperately to push through it, tears falling down her face as she tried just to sit up. She tried to let out a deep breath once finally making it into a sitting position, wincing at the pain that breathing seemed to be causing. She closed her eyes as she leaned against the hard shed wall, her entire body aching with too much pain for her to do much else. She could feel herself drifting back to sleep, her mind vaguely wondering how long Paul would leave her in here for this time.

When Brooke awoke again, she was still in the shed; a numbing kind of cold seemingly having taken over her body. Her teeth chattered as she realized just how cold she was, a small cough escaping her lips, jostling her ribs.

Her mind wandered to those thoughts she had had just before passing out. She didn't want to die. She knew she deserved to be punished. She knew she was garbage. She knew she was nothing, but she didn't want to die. She wanted to be happy. She didn't want to be in pain anymore. She didn't want to feel this way anymore. Maybe she didn't deserve to live. Maybe she didn't deserve to be happy, but Brooke would be damned if she didn't at least try to get those things before she died.

With that thought in mind, she realized she had to find a way out. She had to escape. She had to leave Paul and she had to find happiness. She wasn't sure how to do any of that though, so she needed to figure it out. Of course, being in the shed, she wasn't sure if she could really escape right this second anyway. It hurts too much, she thought to herself. How would she be able to get out of here if the door was locked?

Another cough took over her body, this one stronger than the last. Brooke winced at the pain it caused, looking down at the swelling on her stomach. She was pretty sure it had gotten worse. She grimaced, wondering how painful it would be to try and stand up. She made an attempt, failing miserably as she collapsed after barely moving. She let out a frustrated sigh, trying again, this time leaning heavily against the wall as she forced her legs to cooperate. She tried to ignore the pain screaming in her abdomen, groaning as her body fought every movement she seemed to be making.

Brooke paused as she finally made it to her feet, a small smile gracing her lips before she grimaced in pain once more. Making it up had been step one, but walking seemed to be a whole other process. Several more coughs escaped her lips, these ones harsher than the last. Brooke sighed, forcing herself to focus on the end goal; happiness and life. She may not have deserved either of those things, but she wanted them more than anything else in the world and she was going to fight to the death to get them.

She took a step, tears filling her eyes as she tried to work through the pain. She banded her arm around her ribs, forcing herself to take another step followed by another step before needing to stop.

Everything hurt so, so bad.

She swallowed hard, bracing herself as she made it to the door of the shed. What was she going to do now? What could she do now? She looked down at her unclothed body, wondering how far she had planned on making it without any clothes on her. _Such a stupid idea_ , she thought as she realized she had no idea of what to do or where to go from here.

Her hand touched the knob of the shed, her mind racing with all the thoughts she had. Could she run? Where would she run? She couldn't run when she could barely walk. How would she escape if she couldn't even run? She could make it to her car, but she didn't have the keys. He had taken those from her months ago. She knew how to hotwire a car though….

A series of coughs coursed through her body, and Brooke brushed her hand over her forehead. _Crap, she had a fever._

Well, if broken ribs and a broken body weren't going to stop her, she didn't see why she should let a fever do the trick.

She wondered what the temperature outside was. She needed a plan. She had no clothes, no money, nowhere to go. What if he caught her? She wasn't even sure if it was day or night out. How far could she realistically get?

Grabbing onto the knob again, Brooke slowly turned it, her mind racing with all of these questions, all of these possibilities. What was she going to do? How was she going to do it? Was she even capable of doing any of it?

It was unlocked.

Holy shit, the door was unlocked. Did he always keeps it unlocked? Had she always had this opportunity and never taken it? She didn't have time to think about that. The door opened and for a moment she just stopped and stared. It was dark. She was in the backyard and it was dark and Paul was nowhere to be seen. _What the hell was she going to do now?_

She took a step onto the grass, the wind rushing through her body. _Ignore it, she thought. Ignore the cold, ignore the pain, just ignore it._

She took another step, trying not to think about the pain. She turned, wondering how she could get out of here. She couldn't go through the house. But she needed clothes. Could she do this without any clothes? She had lived on the friggen streets all those years ago….but then again, she had at least had clothes….

It didn't matter. Clothes didn't matter. Nothing mattered right now. At this point, she herself barely mattered. She started walking towards the back gate, pushing through the pain and the coughing. _Just keep going._

She made it out of the gate, taking in the rather nice neighborhood. She wondered if any of the neighbors knew the man they were living next to, the girl he had secretly been beating on for all these years. _Probably not._

Brooke began walking, her heart racing with each step. What the hell was she doing? She had no plans, no idea where she was going. All she knew was she was leaving. The rest was up to whoever the hell cared about her. _Nobody. Nobody cared about her. She barely cared about herself._

As she made it to the end of the street, a part of her wondered how long it would take Paul to realize she was missing. _How long was he planning on leaving her in that shed, anyways?_

Brooke kept walking, her body completely exposed. She wrapped her arms around her shivering waist, turning one way and then the next. She didn't know where she was. She wasn't moving very fast. Everything hurt. She was too cold. She was sick, and getting sicker. Everything hurt and the pain was coursing through her like something she had never felt before

She wasn't sure where she was. It must have been the dead of night. The streets were quiet, not a single soul around, the only thing guiding her way were the street lights shining above. She wondered what would happen if somebody saw her. They would probably call the police; some strange girl just wandering around completely exposed. She was pretty sure that in itself was a crime.

She kept walking, surprised by how much she was able to walk given the pain and cold she was feeling, but her ribs were starting to go numb and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She was agitating them more and she knew that by doing this she was running the risk of one of them puncturing her lungs or another vital organ but she had to keep walking. She had to keep going.

She stopped after what felt like forever. She had reached what looked like a park, and she wondered how far she had actually made it. She didn't recognize the park. Of course, it had been so long since she had been able to explore this place so really she didn't recognize much of anything around.

She quickly spotted a bench, sitting down on it, much to the protest of every inch of her body. The adrenaline was still coursing through her so she wasn't feeling much of anything at this point; except for the cold. She was definitely feeling the cold.

She lied down on the bench, curling up onto her side. She just wanted to close her eyes, just rest for a second or two. She knew she needed to keep going. She tried to make herself warm, using the bench to help with the process. She noted that her breathing was irregular; coming out in short gasps now. _Crap. Could her ribs have actually punctured her lungs?_ There was no way she was going to be able to make it much further if that were the case.

It was still dark out, no sign of the sun. If she stayed here someone would eventually find her, and what would happen then? What if it was someone who recognized her? What if they knew her or knew she was with Paul and called him. He would certainly kill her for something like this. She wondered how far away the school was from where she was. Of course, she had no idea where she was anyway.

Brooke whimpered as another cold chill coursed through her veins, closing her eyes as she wrapped her arms around her shivering body. Maybe a little sleep would help. Maybe if she just closed her eyes for a second….

And within moments, the world around her went dark as she fell into some kind of pain and cold induced slumber.

Note: Please, please review and let me know what you think! There will probably only be 2 more chapters before the end of the story! Thank you for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: 2009

Voices.

It was the first sense to come back to her as she awoke; the sound of voices surrounding her. They were soft, quiet voices, as if they were trying not to wake her. It couldn't have been Paul's voice; he never cared when she was asleep or awake.

Slowly, everything that had happened started coming back to her. The beating, waking up in the shed, stepping out of the shed...she had escaped. She had walked away. Then there was the bench, and laying down, and….

And she wasn't on the bench anymore.

She wasn't outside laying on that bench anymore. And if she wasn't there, then what the hell had….

Immediately she shot up from where she had been lying, immediately regretting that decision as she screamed out in pain. A team of doctors and nurses were suddenly at her side, easing her back onto the bed, one female nurse grabbing her hand and stroking the palm of her hand in a soothing motion.

"Shh, you're okay sweetie. You're at a hospital," she whispered, a gentle smile gracing her lips as Brooke felt a wave of panic coursing through her. What had happened? How had she gotten here?

"Her blood pressure is rising. She needs to calm down," she heard another voice say, but there were so many people and most of them were talking so Brooke couldn't pinpoint who had said that.

"Honey, can you tell me your name?" asked the nurse that was still holding her hand. Brooke blinked, not sure what to do. How had she gotten here? Where was Paul? Certainly he had noticed she was missing by now.

Brooke swallowed hard, trying to fight the panic that was coursing through her, whimpering at the dull ache throughout her entire body. A vicious cough caused her to roll over onto her side, tears filling her eyes….she didn't know what was happening, how she had gotten here, or even who had broughten her here. Everything still hurt and now she was so confused…..

"We need to keep working at getting her fever down. We can't operate with her temperature as high as it is….."

More voices. Did he just say operate? What did they need to operate on? And what about her temperature? She knew she had been sick before...had it gotten worse?

"Sweetie, you need to calm down, okay? You're okay. You're safe here. You're at a hospital. Nobody is going to hurt you here," whispered that same nurse; the only person who seemed to actually be talking to her.

"How...how did I get here?" asked Brooke, surprised by how weak and fragile her voice sounded.

"Someone brought you here. They found you at the park. You were unconscious when you came in," said the nurse, gently brushing back a strand of Brooke's hair, continuing to offer her a reassuring smile.

"What….what's wrong with me?" asked Brooke and the nurse let out a small sigh, grabbing a hold of Brooke's chart, stopping when Brooke reached for it.

"I can read that," she muttered, her eyes scanning over the details of her admittance. Shattered rib cage, 104.2 temperature, multiple bruises and lacerations on her body, malnourished…..

It was worse than she had thought.

"You can read that?" questioned the nurse and Brooke nodded. "I'm in my third year of medical school," she muttered, handing her back the chart. The nurse nodded, the look of surprise not escaping Brooke.

"What's your name?" asked the nurse and Brooke blinked. If she gave her her name, the nurse would know. She would call Paul and he would come and she would be in so much trouble. She gazed around the room, not quite sure how to answer such a simple question….

"Honey, if you're in trouble, if you need help….we already called the police. They can help you, if you need them to," said the nurse and Brooke closed her eyes. The police were involved now? Of course they were. Some girl gets found on a park bench nearly dead, of course the police would be called for that.

She heard the nurse sigh, clearly getting frustrated that Brooke wouldn't just give her a name. She had so many questions left that needed to be answered. That operation someone had mentioned earlier was clearly for her rib cage. Brooke wasn't completely surprised that it was shattered after the beatings if had taken with that god forsaken belt or strap, whatever it was.

All those punishments.

Could they really just be over? Could she really have just….left him? Had it really been that simple? Was it even what she wanted? What was she going to do now? Where would she go? She didn't even have her car anymore. She had left it at the house. She could always try and steal another one, but those days were over, or so she had hoped back when she married Paul. She had wanted to start a new chapter when she met him and started medical school. She didn't want to have to go back to that life….

She had chosen to live. She had chosen to try and live. But now, she had no idea how to survive this life without him. What about school? She had a year left. How would she go back there. He would know to look for her there. She didn't have any friends to help, or any family to run to. She had always just had herself.

And now she felt just a bit overwhelmed, and scared. As much as she hated to admit fear, she couldn't deny it now. She had nowhere to go, no one to help her. She didn't have her car as a backup plan. She didn't know what to do about school…..god, why hadn't she thought of all this before she decided to run.

"I know this must be really overwhelming for you…." said the nurse, snapping Brooke out of her thoughts. She looked at her name tag. Joanne Williams. Brooke smiled. She had always liked the name Joanne. It seemed so pretty….

"I really wish you would tell me your name…." continued the nurse and Brooke nodded, swallowing hard. She had to tell this nurse, Joanne, something. She had already told her about medical school. What if she went to the school to get information on her. What if they told her she was married?

"Jo," whispered Brooke, and the nurse titled her head. "Jo?" she questioned and Brooke nodded, taking a shaky breath. This was illegal, but she had no other alternative that she could think of at the moment. She had made the choice to run, and now she had to move forward.

"Jo Wilson."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Present Day

Alex sighed as he looked towards the couch; Jo sitting cross legged in a pair of his sweat pants and an old T-shirt. The too large outfit seemed to swallow her whole, and he couldn't help but think how small she looked in it, how much bigger he was than her. It just made his heart hurt more thinking of how some man, presumably much bigger than she was as well, would use that power against her. Everything Jo had told him; the horrors of what she had suffered….how could someone do that to her? Why would someone do that to her? And now that same man was working at their hospital….the hospital she had found safety in so many years ago.

"Alex?"

Jo's voice was soft as she looked over at him, and he instantly offered her a gentle smile, leaving his spot from the kitchen as he joined her on the couch, wrapping his arms around her small frame. He placed a kiss to her hair as she nuzzled closer to him, her eyes beginning to close…

"You okay?" he asked, using his free hand to brush back a stray strand of her hair. She nodded against his chest, twirling the string on his sweat pants.

"You sure? You can tell me anything," he whispered and she nodded, twisting herself in his arms so she was staring up at him. He could see the glistening of tears in her eyes and he frowned, quickly wiping at them before they fell. "Tears don't exactly say you're okay," he mentioned and she let a small smile grace her lips, lifting herself so she could offer him a small kiss on the lips.

"I'm still scared, Alex. I….I worked so hard to get away from that life...from him, and now….now he's here and all these memories are in my head and…." her voice trailed off as she ducked behind her hair, not wanting Alex to see the fresh batch of tears pooling her eyes.

"Hey, look at me," he said, tucking his fingers under her chin, forcing her gaze to meet his. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise. We can talk to Bailey in the morning….we can tell that he…."

"And then what? She'll fire him? For what reason? He'll know it's me, Alex. He'll see me tomorrow and it'll be all over. I can have all the protection in the world. It won't...it won't matter once he knows I'm here," she whispered and Alex sighed, placing his hand to her flushed cheek. He made a mental note to check her temperature once they were finished talking.

"Hey, I don't want you to worry about this. We're going to take care of this, Jo. He can know you're here all he wants, but you are not going to live another day in fear, okay? You deserve to be happy, Jo. You deserve to live your life however you want. He doesn't get to control it, not anymore, okay? We'll figure it out, I promise. What he did in the past, Jo….it was wrong. He had no right to lay a hand on you, and I am so, so, sorry that he ever did in the first place. We're going to figure it out, okay? I promise," he said, his arms tightening around her waist as she nodded, nuzzling closer to him, her eyes drifting off to sleep.

"Okay," she whispered.

And, in that moment, she truly believed what Alex was saying.

A/N: So, I'm thinking that this is probably going to be the end of the story. I might make a sequel which details exactly what happens with Paul being at the hospital but I feel this is the end of the story that needed to be told detailing Jo's past with Paul and her telling Alex. Thank you so much for all the favorites and follows and a special thanks to those who took the time to review. Each and every review was greatly appreciated!

Also, if you're interested, I just posted a story today that will be telling the story of Jo's childhood. Feel free to check it out if that interests you and let me know what you think!


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